Clever foody people, come hither, if you will. (Don't need to be that clever tbh, just know about rice steamers!)

[MaureenMLove]

DH wants a rice cooker. We have a steamer, with a bowl that you put in it for cooking other stuff (not sure what tbh, I've never used it!) Could rice be the very thing that can be cooked in it? I can't help thinking that a rice cooker is a waste of time and money, especially if I've already got something that I can do it in!

What d'ya think?

Thankyou sweet, lovely people! (This is my new way of greeting everyone on MN, coz it's lovely on here, it is!),

I have never felt the need for a rice cooker. I always boil mine

Ah yes, that's where the problem lies! I appear to incapable of doing it like that! I can do it, if its a boil in the bag, but that's an expensive way to do it.

What goes wrong? (genuinely curious)

Don't get me wrong we have loads of gadgets in the kitchen but not a rice cooker

Well MaureenMLove, (so satisfying to type that) we have had a rice cooker for years and even though it is decrepit now and has to be propped up with a saucer it is fab. And I'm not a gadget person.

If you eat rice a lot and tend to be using your whole hob while you're doing it it's great. I did a chilli and a curry for 20 people at DD2's christening on Sunday, and the rice cooker cooked and kept all of the rice warm while we were out. It's a great thing to have if you cook rice in volume.

We use ours at least once a week and we've had the same Kenwood one since 1997. There is a morphy richards one I think but the rice sticks to the bowl of it which is very annoying (my mum has it). I remember worrying when we bought ours that it would be a waste of money but it has been great.

dh's parents brought us one about 10 years ago. I was a bit at why we would need one tbh but it is absolutely fab and still going strong.It really is worth every penny. We put it on ages before we need the rice...it keeps for up to 3 hours.

Iotas - I either cook it for too long or it goes sticky. I've tried all the solutions, washing rice first, rinsing in hot water after, I just can't get it right!

We do have rice once or twice a week and DH likes a rice salad for his lunch, so maybe it's a good investment.

Thanks ladies.

I microwave rice in a thing from Lakeland - works perfectly every time (but only for me, not for DH )

I buy Waitrose frozen rice, you can get brown, white, basmati and it comes in handy portion sizes - microwave for 4 minutes and is perfect - I know M&S do it too (and frozen pasta although I can cook that ok!) - it really is very handy and can;t really go wrong.

I would steer clear of another electric item - mine is rusting away next to the ice cream maker and the George Foreman!

George foreman now you're talking. I used mine today for toasted cheese sandwiches as lunch for hungry boys.

Our most unused gadget is the juicer. I told dh it would be a nightmare to clean

I use a microwave rice steamer. Perfect rice every time (just used it tonight in fact).

And it's easy to clean and dishwasher-safe.

Yes the bowl is for doing rice in your steamer - friend swears by it - I prefer the cook in a saucepan method :-) I also have a rice cooker here - used twice (gadget DP had to have but now abandoned). Want to find a home for it, your DH would be welcome to it...

Thanks Littone. DH has agreed to give it a go with the bowl on the steamer, to see how we get on. We use that all the time, so it would be nice to be able to use what we've got already.

Thanks Littone. DH has agreed to give it a go with the bowl on the steamer, to see how we get on. We use that all the time, so it would be nice to be able to use what we've got already.

All you need to do Maureen, is make sure your rice is well washed, put it in a pan with enough water so it covers it with about an extra half inch water on top, bring to boil, put a tight fitting lid on (we wrap our lid in a tea towel to make sure snug) and turn the heat down until the rice absorbs the water - doesn't take long, just put a fork in the middle and part it slightly to make sure no water left.

Fork butter through and serve.

We have a rice cooker and use it lots (but then hubby is Japanese so would happily eat rice for every meal!) I wouldn't be without it and would recommend anyone who eats rice more than twice a week to get one. It makes perfect rice every time, keeps it warm and ours can even reheat once the rice has gone cold. Sometimes I throw some veggies on top of the rice just before it's ready and hey presto! steamed veggies! I have tried boiling rice but just can't get the same, consistently good results (and often end up burning the pan to boot!)

I agree with all who say about unnecessary gadgets - I love toasties but was so sick of cleaning greasy cheese remains that I just make cheese on toast under the grill now (less mess and less carbs) but believe that gadgets are also a matter of personal choice ie I would never even contemplate having a microwave in the house but know people who wouldn't be without one.

IotasCat - agree about the juicer, if it's the electric kind that promises to pulp all sorts of veggies - absolute nightmare to clean. However, we have a chrome, one-armed bandit contraption that while really only good for lemons, oranges and smallish grapefruit, is easy to clean and doesn't need plugging in (so an extra bonus!) You also get loads of volunteers when it's time to top up the cocktails!

Maybe MadameCastifiore should send her neglected rice cooker to Maureen for a try!

This is how I cook perfect rice.

I use Tilda basmati. I never wash it.
Measure into a pan. Measure out twice the amount of boiling water and tip in. Add lumpof butter. Boil till it looks like thick white soup. Put lid on pan, turn off heat, cover lid with teatowel, leave without removing lid for 10-15 mins.

I think a rice cooker would be good if you do want to cook biq quantities when hob is full, and if you have kitchen space to accommodate it easily on your worktop, or accessible. IME, once an electrical gadget is in a cupboard, it says there!

I've got a Cookworks rice cooker, cheap & cheerful form Argos, it's great, nice fluffy rice every time.

I am not a gadget person AT ALL, but have to say bought a rice cooker for 9 quid from Aldi couple of years ago and use it at least couple of times a week. I can cook rice perfectly well in a saucepan by the absorption method, but his frees up space on our hob, and more importantly gives the most perfect fluffy steamed rice every time with no hob-watching. It can be filled with the rice and water way ahead of time, and once cooked will keep rice warm at perfect temp for a few hours. Good if I'm out as dh is challenged in the rice cooking department. Also good if you are eating, say, a curry or chilli at different times.